


Hurting in the Snow

by DigitalGhost



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Coping, Feels, Gen, One-Shot, Post-Infinity War, Short, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 07:34:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18278690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DigitalGhost/pseuds/DigitalGhost
Summary: "Well, home is home, ya know?""Do you have something against running away?""The thing is, you don't have to.""...I think going back under is the best thing. For everybody."





	Hurting in the Snow

**Author's Note:**

> heyo endgame is four weeks away my hype and fear levels are both at one million percent

The snow fell slowly.

It gently rained down from the sky, covering everything in sight underneath its soft, white blanket. It was fresh enough that there were no footprints or traces of life anywhere to be seen.

Steve walked along the sidewalk on a Brooklyn street, and even among all his fellow citizens, it seemed he was the only one who wanted to be out here.

_ "Well, home is home, ya know?" _

He continued walking, sufficient visibility fading in and out as he passed lamppost after lamppost. The pale-yellow light sparkled on the freshly-fallen powder.

Even through his warm winter coat, the cold still managed to seep through the fabric to his spine, and he shivered. He dug his hands deeper into his pockets, straightening his arms, taking a breath.

_ "Do you have something against running away?" _

He felt a tickle arise in the corners of his eyes and in his nose. He sniffed, and was glad to once again be away from other people.

_ "The thing is, you don't have to." _

A surge of anger boiled up inside him, clenching his fists and making hot tears spill down his cheeks.

His pace increased, and his emotions, tangled as they were, distracted him enough that his feet stumbled over each other. His knees sunk down into the snow.

The surge of anger subsided, like the coming-and-going of calming ocean waves, never deciding whether to stay or to go at the shore. Tension seeped out of his body, leaving just mixed-up feelings and the serum that had started pumping through him so long ago.

Normally, he never let him feel sorry for himself, but…  _ "But they're gone. They're gone, and I couldn't save them.' _

His head hung as he was faced with this truth, and haunted images danced in front of his eyes.

Blue-gray eyes alight with a bright smile, one that hadn't been seen for much too long. The shadow of loyal wings high above, always on his side. Neat, organized curls spilling onto shoulders that were always turning his way.

The large hole he'd been trying to cover up for so long finally broke, letting loose a dam of pain and anger and regret.

He let the emotional river wash over, overtaking everything for a moment.

_ "...I think going back under is the best thing. For everybody." _

They all washed away, however, after a minute of two. It left the boarded-up hole empty, and that's what was filling his being, every part of it.

Hollow. Empty. Blank. Steve got back up to his feet, the knees of his jeans soaked from the chilled snow. He looked down at the imprints he'd made, disappointed in ruining the flawless perfection it'd been before.

He walked on to his way back to be among people, but of course not truly a part of them.

 

**Author's Note:**

> cry with me about avengers


End file.
